Summer Festivals-anyone done them with kids?

[batey]

Star, you got me thinking yesterday when you mentioned Sidmouth and Cambridge folk festivals. Did these as a student and would love to go again. I'm not much of a "camper" though and we dont have a tent.
Can't imagine doing it with dds but am prepared to be shown the way1 Don't they cost an arm and a leg too? Anyone any experiences?

[SofiaAmes]

sorry Willow2, just thought i was in for some more american bashing ...i get it all day at work (i return with lots of english bashing). I actually did know roger ames and back in my other life had many a night out with him and others, but no he is no relation. Ames is only our family name from 2 generations ago as it was long and german when my great grandparents got to ellis island and they changed it to ames.

[Willow2]

SofiaAmes - not being nasty at all... just know of a Roger Ames and wondered if you were related! No hidden message intended xx

[SofiaAmes]

Marina, in my last life I was in the music business and still have a few friends left from that world so I can usually get free tickets and vip passes to most concerts/gigs/festivals. However, having spent 10 years of my life going to them because I had to, I don't really view it as a fun day/night out and usually just go to humor my dh.
Willow2, roger doesn't mean anything to me...must be an english thing...but i do get the feeling you're not intending to be complimentary....

[tigermoth]

Yes KatyW, that's the one. I am thinking of going to the Larmer Tree festival in a few years time, when my youngest son is school age. I've heard it's really good. My only gripe is that you have to buy tickets in advance because they sell out, so you have to gamble on the weather. A problem if you have children and no camper van!

[KatyW]

forgot to say, that the Big Chill had a maximum of 5,000 tickets which meant that there weren't loads of crowds etc. We did comment that Glastonbury (which i haven't been to) would have had 20x the number of people, which would have been very daunting.

[KatyW]

I have just taken my 20m ds to the Big Chill festival at the Larmer Tree Gardens a week ago (is that the one you were thinking of Tigermoth?). We had a brilliant time - ds loved dancing to the music and generally chilling out, and it is very kids orientated ie they had a childrens' tent with all day activities such as free face painting, balloon bending, magician etc. However, we went in a group which contained my two younger sisters, my ds's godmother and partner, two more friends with two kids each and assorted other people, ie loads and loads of babysitters! It really does make a difference, especially having other kids around as they all seem to look after each other. (We only lost ds once, for about 2mins on the first day and were a lot more careful afterwards, including putting a sticker on his back with our surname and mobile numbers on it. I don't think we'd have had such a good time if it had just been the three of us. We also hired a campervan which was great as it rained quite a bit (but also meant we were on bacon butty duty for about 15 people every morning !)

[Willow2]

SofiaAmes - does the word Roger mean anything to you?

[Marina]

SofiaAmes, you've GOT to tell us how come you had a VIP pass for V2000 and V2001...

[tigermoth]

I've taken my stall to lots of one-day festivals, like Strawberry Fayre in Cambridge. One-day events are often free, so if the worst happens, you havn't lost money. Also with no camping involved, taking children is not so daunting IMO.

Lots of weekend festivals allow you to buy a day pass. The Womad festival at Reading is meant to be particularly child friendly, (it might even have a creche, and definitely has baby changing tents etc) and you can get a day pass.Is it on this year? usually held at the end of July I think.
Also the Larmer Tree festival is meant to be family orientated, I think.

I've happily taken my sons as babies to one-day festivals, and also felt OK about taking my older son once he hit 5 or so. Toddlers are another matter. When they are too old to sit in a pushchair and take naps, yet too young to be let loose without constant watching, festivals can be too stressful IME. Mud, mud, mud, a random scattering of stall holder's electrical generators and cables, wobbly stall frameworks swaying in the wind, rails of clothing just waiting to be pulled over, loud music infinitely boring to small ears, fragile but expensive craft items within toddler reach, dodgy-looking dogs, unstubbed out cigarettes lurking in the grass, ohhh I can feel my stress levels rising just thinking about it..
Have fun!

[SofiaAmes]

I've been to v2000 pregnant and v2001 with baby in tow. However, I had a VIP pass and didn't spend the night so I had a great time as did my ds and dh (the former ate a lot and the latter drank a lot). I don't think I would recommend going with children too young to fend for themselves (ie make their way to you or a policeman) if you get separated. Then again, i'm not sure i would recommend going with my dh either

[SueW]

Here's another festival which I went to when I was pg. A thread on another list I'm on sparked my interest and I went to check out the website. I was surpised at how organised it's become. It struck me as very informal when I was there with not many stalls, compared to what's advertised.

[oxocube]

Hi, Batey,
We visited the Palaeo(sp?) Festival a few years ago when we lived in Switzerland. It was the one where Oasis were playing (or one of them was!) and Liam left the stage after 3 songs because someone threw a bottle at him. Anyway, I cannot help you on prices in England, but we did take our kids, aged 2 and 4 at the time and it was not a success. We took a tent, but the pitches were too far away and we had to take the kids right up to the stage. The band were delayed and finally came on at 11.00p.m ! We spent ages sitting patiently protecting our little patch of grass(shows how daft we were), then when the band started, a zillion people appeared from nowhere. The kids were terrified at both the crowds and the noise which was deafening. A real shame, as the atmosphere was great (for adults) and during the short time Oasis played, they were brill. Later, I lost my d.h (not permanently, unfortunately!!) and we ended up having a huge row and paying a bloody exhorbitant taxi fee to take us the 50 km home at 4 in the morning!

IMO try to get a babysitter overnight: much less stressful and you can at least chill a bit. I almost lost one of my kids, too. Bit of a mistake alround really